Federal government issues OSU license for wave energy testing facility

(MAY 3, 2021) The government has issued Oregon State University a license to build and operate a new wave energy testing facility. The test site is located about seven miles offshore southwest of Newport. It is called PacWave, and it will try different technologies that use ocean waves to make electricity.

“We know there is still work to do to make this project a reality, but this is a huge moment for this project and for the industry as a whole,” said Burke Hales, chief scientist for PacWave. “This is the first license of its type to be issued in the United States.”

Wave energy has the potential to provide clean, reliable electricity to help meet the world’s rising energy demands, experts say. Globally, the marine energy market is projected to reach nearly $700 billion by 2050. The World Energy Council estimates that 10% of the worldwide electricity demand could be met by harvesting ocean energy.

OSU has tried to develop a wave energy testing facility for more than a decade. It wants to speed up the development of this industry. There currently is no U.S. facility for developers to measure the electrical and environmental performance of their devices at this size. With its connection to the local power grid, the facility will provide wave energy developers with the ability to test new technologies.

The ocean test site will be located about seven miles offshore. The location is a sandy-bottomed stretch of the Pacific Ocean away from popular commercial and recreational fishing reefs. The ocean site will have four different testing “berths.” Together, these "berths" can accommodate up to 20 wave energy devices at any one time. Power and data cables buried below the seafloor will connect the ocean test site to a shore-based facility in Seal Rock.

The federal government requires more plans. OSU hopes construction will begin this summer, and the facility will begin operating by 2023.